Barcelona's La Liga bid to reach 100 points ended in defeat as Alaves secured a crucial victory against the Catalan giants.
Barcelona's pursuit of an unprecedented 100-point La Liga season suffered a significant setback on Wednesday when they were defeated by Alaves. The newly-crowned Spanish champions fell short, ending their hopes with a 1-0 loss at Vitoria. Ibrahim Diabate's goal in the first half proved decisive for Alaves, who are battling relegation and now sit in the 15th position.
Hansi Flick's side had needed to win their remaining three matches to achieve the all-time La Liga record of 100 points. However, the defeat at Alaves' hands dashed those ambitions. "It was not an easy game," Flick acknowledged. "They (Alaves) battled hard and this is normal for a team fighting against relegation." Despite conceding in the final moments of the first half, the coach highlighted the positives, praising his young players who played well and managing their minutes effectively.
In contrast to Barcelona's dominant performance in recent matches, Alaves managed to keep the visitors at bay. Just before halftime, Diabate scored a crucial goal after Antonio Blanco headed a corner towards goal, catching Barca defenders off guard. Szczesny also made an impressive save early in the second half when he pushed away a dangerous Diabate strike.
Barcelona's efforts were limited to possession and energy from winger Marcus Rashford, but Alaves' resilience saw them hold on for the victory. The Catalans struggled to create clear chances, with opportunities missed by Jon Guridi who struck the post and Oso and Kike Salas nearly equalizing for Sevilla in a later match.
Elsewhere in La Liga, Sevilla staged an impressive comeback from two goals down to beat Villarreal 3-2, securing their third consecutive victory. The Andalusian side's rise up the table is now four points clear of the relegation zone. Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze gave Villarreal a two-goal lead early in the match, but Oso and Kike Salas pulled Sevilla level before halftime.
Sevilla defender Salas expressed his relief: "It's an indescribable feeling to give back to our fans all the love they have given us. Now we need to go to Pamplona and win against Osasuna on Sunday." Espanyol also managed a comeback, defeating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 at home. Pere Milla and Kike Garcia scored in the second half, helping the Catalan side move three points clear of the bottom three.
Manolo Gonzalez, coach of Espanyol, expressed his gratitude for the win: "It's been one of the worst experiences of my professional and personal life." The team's victory came after a 18-game losing streak. Meanwhile, Mallorca suffered another defeat, this time against Getafe with a score of 3-1. This loss leaves them in trouble, as Getafe now have hopes of qualifying for the Conference League.
The results highlight the competitive nature of La Liga and the challenges faced by teams vying to secure their positions in the top flight.
